Many will agree, the only consistency we see within NASCAR are the consistent changes over the years. And now, when ratings have dipped over the last year or so, what was once considered taboo, suddenly becomes encouraged as a ratings boost for the sport.

Perhaps, what that says about our society is more disturbing. But the most important question we need to ask of our sport and ourselves, is when will we take a good hard look in the mirror to see what is right before our eyes?

Not so long ago, a media member spot-lighted abusive language used by a driver – named Kurt Busch – as he was emotionally charged immediately after a racing confrontation and didn’t like the topic of questioning.

“It refrains me from beating the s*** out of you right now because you ask me stupid questions,” Busch replied. “But since I’m on probation, I suppose that’s improper to say, as well.”

That confrontation was in June at Dover just last year and resulted in Kurt Busch being suspended from racing at Pocono. Kurt Busch responded to the suspension by saying,

“I accept NASCAR’s decision. I put them in a box. They had to take action, and it’s my fault for putting them in this position. I apologize for the comments I made to Bob Pockrass.”

Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage while acknowledging Busch’s talent and his personal interactions have never been at issue for him personally, he went on to say,

“You can’t threaten other people,”

Less than a year later, that perspective has changed dramatically as NASCAR and Eddie Gossage are doing everything they can to reverse slumping ratings for the sport.

Last weekend at Fontana after the last restart and last lap door-to-door hard racing resulted in a wreck, an L1 compression fracture, hot tempers and foul language, NASCAR’s reaction and Gossage’s response are far different.

While there’s agreement, the racing in the final laps of the race were exciting to watch, it was the post race comments and attitude that really made me sit back and take notice.

Joey Logano, after a confrontation with Denny Hamlin last weekend at Bristol, demonstrated his clear intention to keep Hamlin from winning the race at Fontana. Whether the ensuing wreck was intentional or not, it’s clear a wreck was the result – a wreck that also resulted in Hamlin’s vicious head-on hit to a wall, without SAFER barrier protection, that resulted in a compression fracture of his L1 vertebrae. So how did Logano respond in his post race comments?

“He probably shouldn’t have done what he did last week, so that’s what he gets,” Logano said.

Giving Logano the benefit of doubt, he has stated, he had not yet seen the video showing just how hard the impact of Hamlin’s hit was to the unprotected wall. At the point of this interview, Logano did not know that Hamlin collapsed after exiting his car and was taken by stretcher to the infield medical center and later airlifted to a local hospital for further observation. Knowing there was that lack of information, most give that benefit of doubt to Logano.

But here’s where that goes out the window as for Logano showing any compassion for his fellow competitor and former teammate. When Denny Hamlin was interviewed as he left the hospital, he expressed his humbleness that many of his peers had called to express their concern, but one competitor that he had not yet heard from, was Joey Logano.

Asked specifically Monday night if Logano had tried to call him, Hamlin said, “No.”

“I’ve heard from pretty much all my peers – which has been humbling to say the least. It makes me really happy and keeps your spirits up when you hear from all your peers and everything,” he added. “That part of it has been very encouraging.”

By Monday night, it’s clear that Logano now had plenty of time to realize the seriousness of Hamlin’s injury and had seen the footage of his viscous crash into the unprotected wall. Yet, Logano’s compassion was not enough to pick up a phone and call his former teammate to at least check on his condition, demonstrating some level of concern. No matter how intense his sense of competition might be, there’s absolutely no excuse for his lack of concern for his fellow competitor. Even people who may not be fans of Hamlin, have expressed their well wishes and concern for his well being. There has always been a sense of family within the NASCAR community when someone is hurt. Logano’s lack of action here, demonstrates a potential reason, why perhaps some have so little respect for him on the track.

To Kurt Busch’s credit, he made a public apology to Bob Pockrass. We haven’t heard that from at least two competitors that should have by now – Joey Logano and Tony Stewart.

Further denigration of fellow competitors is the response of three-time champion Tony Stewart to the final restart with hard racing between the veteran and the younger Joey Logano, blocking him to protect his position. Which by the way was exactly what Stewart did in Talladega last year, creating a 25-car pile up of wrecked sheet metal, ruining the day for multiple competitors. Although, Stewart did apologize for his wreck-filled block at Talladega, he was so upset with Logano’s block – resulting in no wreck – following the race he proceeded to confront Logano on pit road, and with empty punches and water bottles thrown to the air. Here’s what Stewart said, when asked about the confrontation:

“What the hell do you think I was mad about,” Stewart asked. “Dumb little son-of-a-b—- runs us clear down to the infield. He wants to b—- about everybody else and he’s the one who drives like a little b—-. I’m going to bust his *ss.”

 

Nice representation of the sport there from a three-time champion; what a great role-model for our children, right? In my opinion, that was much more denigrating and abusive than what Kurt Busch said to Bob Pockrass.

At least, Kurt Busch said he was

“refraining” himself from “beating the s*** out of you (Bob Pockrass)…”

 

There was no refraining taking place from Tony Stewart, he clearly threw punches and stated his intent to

“…bust his (Logano’s) *ss.”

 

So how did NASCAR respond this time? On twitter…

“#NASCAR will issue no penalties from last weekend’s events at @ACSupdates” tweeted by NASCAR’s director of communications, Kerry Tharp

 

And John Darby’s statement when questioned about no penalties….

“A few years ago, we backed away from micromanaging driver’s emotions,” Sprint Cup director John Darby said on a Tuesday call with reporters. “You’d hope in today’s world, if someone didn’t win a race, they’d be upset. Emotions that follow a race; drivers arguing a bit doesn’t create a foul in our world today. The crews did a great job of managing the drivers to make sure it didn’t cross the line to physical violence. That’s just another example of the state of competition in NASCAR racing and the disappointments that come when you don’t win a race. I don’t see any foul there at all.”

 

The first and most immediate question – of many – is – a few years ago?

It was just last year Kurt Busch was benched for threatening Bob Pockrass. There were no punches thrown, no water bottles tossed, and in fact, Busch stated he was refraining himself from taking action. The footage of Busch was not shown immediately following the race, it was shown later, when the media decided it needed to be shown.

And Eddie Gossage after saying

“You can’t threaten other people,”

Posted this, via twitter following Sunday’s post race drama.

By clicking the link above, note this tweet from Eddie Gossage was retweeted 60 times at the time of this publication. In stark contrast to his comments referring to Kurt Busch’s threat, here’s what Gossage had to say about Tony Stewart:

So, it’s apparent that in less than a year (not several years ago, as stated), NASCAR, media members, Eddie Gossage, track promoter, Tony Stewart, three-time champion of the sport, and at least some of the fans have decided that ratings and the promotion of fighting will fill seats and are more important than addressing personal attacks between competitors.

Yes, there was an era of NASCAR when this type of drama was expected and encouraged and amazingly, it did bring legions of fans to the sport. As a society, some of us were silly enough to think that perhaps we had evolved to a different place. Guess some of us were wrong about that…huh?

That is until the “Have at it” mentality results in – apparently – a more serious injury than an L1 compression fracture, or perhaps even worse.

Is that what NASCAR, media, promoters and fans want from this sport?  Really? Are we really that hungry for conflict that we relish a fight between competitors and that’s what we want our children to view as great sportsmanship? Really? Do fans really want a three-time champion, with a foul temper and mouth to be their children’s role model of how to deal with frustration? Really?

To some, this represents a sad reality to witness about the sport of racing. And sadly some are encouraging and proud of this sad state of the sport. When will the time come for a reality check for this sport and its fans, to take a good hard look in the mirror and realize, the sport of racing is not about conflict and confrontation on and off the track?

You’d hope in today’s world, that the sport of racing would be about drivers using their skill to race their competitors for a hard-fought win “on” the track, with the safety of their peers and our racing heroes kept at the forefront.

Do you love the sport of racing for the racing action and the drama of chasing a victory and a championship with talent, skill and sportsmanship – or – for the un-sportsmanship-like drama, the conflict and confrontation on and off the track, putting the safety of those involved at risk?

Where do you stand as a fan of racing, as a parent, as a civilized human being?